Chapter 7

“Father, give me your hand.”

Lee Sung-min held out his hand to his son, and Dan Woo-sung took hold of Lee Sung-min’s rough, calloused hand to check his pulse. Learning martial arts meant understanding the body, so Dan Woo-sung could be considered more knowledgeable than most physicians. However, pretending to be a physician in front of Lee Sung-min felt awkward, so he massaged it as if applying acupressure.

Dan Wooseong said.

“I’ve heard that a disease of anger can be easily treated if its cause is removed. I will gradually eliminate that cause for you going forward, so please recover well.”

There was no major illness.

It was literally a disease of the mind.

The very essence of hwabyung caused by psychological factors. Of course, if the situation didn’t improve, it could be said that even a healthy body would develop various illnesses due to mental strain.

Lying there, Lee Sung-min couldn’t answer right away. The very person who had been the biggest cause of his hwabyung had returned transformed like this; he couldn’t help but be flustered. After swallowing dryly several times, Lee Sung-min finally managed to reply.

“At least say thank you.”

Dan Woo-sung patted Lee Sung-min’s hand as if to say not to worry.

“It won’t just be a promise. It will happen.”

As Dan Woo-sung smiled, Lee Sung-min looked at his expression and nodded.

“Alright. Got it. Glad you’re back. You should go get some rest too.”

“Yes.”

Lee Sung-min watched his eldest son leave, then suddenly looked down at his own hands. His son had pressed so hard during the acupressure that red marks dotted his palms. Even this seasoned businessman had his suspicions. Staring at his hands, he made this guess.

‘My son has learned martial arts.’

.

.

.

Danwooseong kept the news of Gongson Myeong’s death secret for a while. It would only complicate matters for the sick man. Aside from the one who had plotted his death, no one seemed to care about Gongson Myeong’s absence. Since he wasn’t family, there was no reason for him to return with them.

After meeting with the head of the merchant guild, Dan Woo-seong moved on to meet his second younger brother, guided by his attendant.

His second brother, Yi Hwa-eon, who served as a general, was injured and undergoing treatment.

He hadn’t expected any hospitality from his brothers in the first place. It was a well-known fact that the more affluent the family, the more often the brothers fought as they grew up.

He was simply curious about his brothers’ expressions. He intended to find out who had bribed the assemblyman, starting with those closest to him.

Danwooseong had seen countless instances in his past life where family became enemies. Those with power tried to resolve things by force, leading to tragedy, while those with money caused tragedy in their quest for more wealth.

***

The second son, Yi Hwa-eon, stood with his upper garment removed, a servant applying ointment to his shoulder.

A guard announced from outside the door.

“Commander, the Crown Prince has arrived.”

Lee Hwa-eon tilted his head, then gestured to Sibi as if telling him to go out. He knew the news of his return, but the fact that the Crown Prince had come first was strange.

Danwooseong spoke from outside the door.

“Come in.”

“Yes.”

As the Crown Prince entered with a stiff expression, Lee Hwa-eon hurriedly pulled on his upper garment and said in a dry tone.

“I’m applying ointment to my wound…”

“Make yourself comfortable.”

For a moment, the two brothers looked at each other.

Dan Wooseong could see that Lee Hwa-eon bore a strong resemblance to the Crown Prince. The emotion visible in Lee Hwa-eon’s expression and gaze was not friendly. Even though it had been a long time since they last met, his attitude suggested he was not pleased to see him. Since it was a feeling directed at Lee Jin-eon, Dan Wooseong didn’t pay it much mind. In Lee Jin-eon’s memory, Lee Hwa-eon hadn’t been such a difficult person either.

Lee Hwa-eon asked with an expressionless face.

“How’s your health? You look like you’ve improved quite a bit.”

Dan Wooseong glanced around the room, taking in the piles of documents stacked high on Lee Hwa-eon’s desk.

“I’m fine now. I heard from Mok In-seop that you fought with the third son.”

“Yes.”

“I understand you fought, but how did you end up getting stabbed?”

Lee Hwa-eon tilted her head at the changed tone of the Crown Prince and replied.

“That’s how it happened.”

“Who hit you…?”

“Would I have been hit by my own guards? I got caught up in it while trying to break up the fight. Since I was holding a sword myself, I can’t really say anything.”

“Struck by the Third?”

“Yes.”

Danwooseong nodded.

Whether he had plotted it or not, the third brother deserved a beating. Having yearned for the martial world since childhood, he possessed the most violent tendencies among the three brothers.

Lee Hwa-eon, sensing the eldest brother’s change, asked,

“But what happened at the palace? You look completely different. I don’t know if it’s good news or bad.”

Dan Woo-sung nodded.

“Is it that obvious?”

“Yes.”

“Good observation. By the way, when are you returning to your duties as Chief Steward?”

“It’s not a serious injury. I’ll rest just today and plan to return to work normally starting tomorrow.”

Dan Woosung replied immediately.

“Then contact them and say we’re refusing the request from the Soseon faction.”

Lee Hwa-eon replied with a slightly surprised expression.

“Huh? I tried to placate them by sending a gift or something. But if there was no response, they seemed poised to come after us. They hinted that they could interfere with other businesses too, in a subtle way.”

“Really?”

“Yes.”

Dan Woo-sung said with a smile.

“Well, that’s even better. Reject them. If they come looking for us, we’ll have to meet them. We’re a merchant guild that makes a profit, not a charity organization. We don’t need to bow our heads every time a martial arts sect gets angry. And after hearing Mok In-seop’s story and thinking it over carefully… it seems the So Seon Sect isn’t the strange one in this matter.”

“Really?”

“The Gu Yang family is the strange one. If the Xiao Xian faction demands money from us with the Gu Yang family’s consent, they’ll hand over part of that extorted money to the Gu Yang family. The Gu Yang family is already taking protection money from us, and now they’ll get more through the Xiao Xian faction.”

“Isn’t that jumping to conclusions?”

When Yi Hwa-eon tilted his head in confusion, Dan Woo-sung retorted.

“Who in their right mind would think the Xiao Xian Sect, clearly weak, could extort money from a merchant caravan guarded by a master from the Gu Yang Clan? What could be stranger? If the Xiao Xian Sect threatens us, it’s not the Xiao Xian Sect that’s strange—it’s the Gu Yang Clan that’s gone mad. That’s how we should handle it. At least if a power stronger than the Gu Yang Clan pressures us, that’s understandable…

Li Huaian fell into thought for a moment before speaking.

“I refuse. Brother is right. I’ll order the escort unit to prepare for possible conflict.”

Danwooseong nodded and flipped through the employee roster he’d found on the desk. Lee Hwaeon was even more flabbergasted to see his eldest brother rummaging through ledgers he’d never once looked at in his entire life.

“What are you looking for?”

“Let me just take a look at the register for a moment.”

“Yes.”

Merchants keep meticulous records.

Moreover, since his younger brother was the chief steward, it was safe to assume all the guild’s vital information was contained within.

Dan Woo-sung traced his finger along the employee roster, reading until he stopped at the entry marked ‘Gong Sun-myeong’.

「Gongsun Ming, born in Yuan, recommended by Gu Yanghou, second-rank third-grade monthly stipend.」

Dan Woo-seong felt a sense of relief when the expected name came up. It meant he’d avoided having to kill Lee Jin-eon’s brother with his own hands.

That said, this bodyguard leader, Gu Yanghu, seemed to have plans to swallow the entire Galaxy Trading Company whole. He was shaking up the company from within and without.

Dan Woo-sung closed the register as if there was nothing more to see and said.

“Hwa-eon, take good care of yourself.”

“Where are you going?”

“I’m off to educate the third one.”

“Huh?”

As Danwooseong dashed off, Lee Hwa-eon kept tilting her head in confusion. It was strange that he was interested in the merchant guild’s affairs, and it was strange that he was going to meet the third son, with whom he didn’t get along. Above all, the tone and atmosphere of their conversation so far had been strange.

Education?

It would be fortunate if he didn’t get beaten up when he went.

It was fortunate that his mood wasn’t too bad, considering it was at least a positive change. All in all, the Crown Prince’s return left him bewildered.

As Dan Woo-sung emerged from Lee Hwa-eon’s quarters, Mok In-seop followed with a sly grin.

“Your Highness, it’s Mok In-seop. I was late greeting you due to the shift change.”

Dan Woo-sung spoke as he walked side by side with Mok In-seop.

“The entire escort came out to greet me for some reason. It was an excessive welcome for a worthless dog like me.”

“Heh heh heh, is that so? By the way, where are you headed? The Master’s quarters aren’t this way.”

“To the Third.”

“Haha, then I’ll accompany you.”

“Why?”

Mok In-seop chuckled.

“It’s rather noisy, isn’t it? Since you don’t have a personal guard yet, I should accompany you. Since the Chief Administrator was injured, we got a real scolding from the Deputy Leader too.”

Mok In-seop was curious about the meeting between the changed Crown Prince and the Third Prince, who was just as hot-headed. If the Third Prince’s guards drew their swords again this time, Mok In-seop had no intention of standing idly by.

In front of the residence where the Three Princes were staying, Mok In-seop deliberately spoke insolently.

“Hey, the Grand Prince has arrived. Go inside and announce it.”

“Yes.”

As the young man who had been sweeping the courtyard hurried away, Mok In-seop gestured for them to enter first.

“Please go in.”

.

.

.

“You’ve arrived?”

Those were the first words spoken by the Third Prince, Yi Ja-eon, upon seeing the Crown Prince. Yi Ja-eon glanced sideways at Mok In-seop and said indifferently.

“It’s been a while since we’ve seen that Mok fellow too.”

Mok In-seop chuckled softly in reply.

“Yes, Third Prince.”

Lee Ja-eon was cutting wooden dummies with a real sword at the training ground set up in the courtyard, while his two personal guards stood watching.

With Danwooseong also watching, Lee Ja-eon cut through two wooden dummies standing side by side in quick succession. Examining the cut surfaces of the dummies, he said.

“What wind blew you all the way here?”

Danwooseong offered no reply.

Instead, he scanned the training ground floor, then stared intently at the stern faces of the standing guards. These men were not in Lee Ja-eon’s memories. Dan Woo-seong also felt reluctant to beat the third son in front of outsiders.

Dan Woo-sung looked at Mok In-seop and said.

“I need to speak with the third son. Everyone else, leave.”

Mok In-seop replied first, sounding reluctant.

“Yes, understood.”

Mok In-seop anticipated the third son would soon be beaten.

‘Ah, I should see this… What a pity.’

As Mok In-seop strode out, the guards looked at Lee Ja-eon’s face. They seemed to be waiting for Lee Ja-eon to tell them to leave before moving.

Lee Ja-eon smiled and said.

“What about the guards? What, you want to pick a fight with me? Did you dig up some elixir root from Gu Hwasan or something? This is ridiculous.”

Lee Ja-eon tossed his sword to the guards. When one guard caught it, Lee Ja-eon waved his hand dismissively and said.

“You lot, what are you dawdling for when the Grand Prince of the Eunha Trading Guild tells you to move? How insolent…”

The guards bowed their heads and replied.

“Yes.”

After Mok In-seop and all the guards vanished into the rear courtyard, Lee Ja-eon walked up to Dan Woo-sung and scrutinized his face from every angle.

“You look healthier. But your expression… you seem like a different person. Did something happen? You even know how to glare at people now. Did you take the wrong medicine? Or did the tonic affect your brain?”

Dan Woo-sung said.

“Ja-eon.”

Lee Jae-eon placed one hand casually on Dan Woo-sung’s shoulder and said.

“Brother, pull yourself together. Now that you’re back, stop causing trouble. And cut back on the drinking.”

Dan Woosung nodded.

“I plan to.”

Lee Ja-eon nodded.

“Good thinking. I’m scared to go anywhere and still be called Lee Jin-eon’s brother. If Father hadn’t sent you to the inner quarters, and you hadn’t gone out into the martial world, your nickname would probably have been ‘The Lust Demon’.”

Danwooseong examined Lee Jae-eon’s physical condition. He was curious about how much training he had undergone. But the hands of this guy who claimed to train with swords were clean and soft.

Lee Ja-eon continued.

“Calling him a ‘sex demon’ is too high-level, so let’s settle for ‘brothel sex demon’. That’s more fitting for your level, brother.”

As he spoke, Lee Ja-eon’s grip tightened on Dan Woo-sung’s shoulder.

Standing still, Dan Woo-sung heard Lee Ja-eon speak in a voice so low it wouldn’t be overheard by those around them.

“If you don’t want to get beaten like before, just behave yourself. I’ll leave you alone too. The atmosphere in the merchant guild isn’t good these days.”

At this point, the Crown Prince would normally be throwing a fit about his sore shoulder, but now his expression didn’t change at all. Instead, Dan Woo-seong, maintaining the same posture, grabbed Lee Ja-eon’s shoulder with his right hand and replied.

“Understood.”

“Oh, you’re going to come to your senses?”

Dan Woo-sung tightened his grip as he spoke.

“When a person survives a brush with death, they sometimes change. In my case, I suppose you could say I changed for the better.”

Lee Ja-eon’s face instantly contorted. A scream burst out, short and sharp.

“Ah! Ah, ah, ah!”

His eldest brother’s grip was so powerful it felt like his shoulder would shatter. The agonizing truth was that Danwooseong had only just begun to apply his full strength.

ⓒ Yoo Jin-seong

=======================================